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WES GILBERTSON, QMI Agency

Jun 14, 2011

, Last Updated: 2:39 AM ET

CALGARY - Even before the official start of the new CFL campaign, Nik Lewis was celebrating a championship.

He’s hoping his season ends the same way.

The Calgary Stampeders slotback was all smiles at Monday’s morning workout at McMahon Stadium, reminding anybody within earshot that his hometown team — the Dallas Mavericks — had celebrated an NBA title the night before.

“I love watching people win,” Lewis said. “The one that sticks out in my mind the most is (Boston Celtics star) Kevin Garnett, when he said ‘Anything is possible,’ and I kept that in my mind the whole time we were on the run in 2008 and we won the Grey Cup that year.

“I realize I was a hater.

I used to hate to watch people win because I’d never won. But afterwards, you’re happy for them because you know the feeling and you know how hard you have to work to get there.

“Now, I need another one.”

Dirk Nowitzki and his Mavericks teammates celebrated their first NBA championship with Sunday’s 105-95 victory over the Miami Heat.

Although the Stamps had a team meeting during the big game, the players were able to keep tabs on the score during their study sessions.

“We just saw bits and pieces,” said Stamps quarterback Henry Burris. “But Nik kept me updated through Twitter and vocally in meetings. He kept me up-to-date on what was going on.”

You can bet there were a few interruptions during Monday’s team meetings, too.

Centre Tim O’Neill and safety Eric Fraser are both diehard Vancouver Canucks fans, and with a pre-season clash scheduled for Wednesday night at McMahon Stadium at the same time as Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final — if necessary — they were rooting for their squad to end the Stanley Cup final in six games. Both O’Neill and Fraser hail from B.C.’s West Coast.

“Being a fan for as long as I have been, to see them this close is awesome,” Fraser said. “You kind of understand what they’re going through, and with being as close as they are, the feeling they get … I’ve got to admit I was feeling a little bit of butterflies this morning because it’s been that long and we’ve had good teams before, but we can never get over the hump.

“I think, as a whole city, we’re a little nervous for the game, but the opportunity is there and they just have to take it.”